Hella Juiced: Rob Vicious

“Bitch I’m Rob Vicious!” Hailing from West Adams, Los Angeles and coming up as one-fourth of Shoreline Mafia, Rob Vicious is ecstatic to prove the best is yet to come. At 21 years old and having toured around the world with his group, the Traplantic rapper finds music to be his calling, separating all the fake shit and clout chasing. Read more…

Meeting Ohgeesy and Fenix at just 16 years old, the “Bands” rapper was the baby of the group, drinking and partying with the cool older kids with the occasional ass-whooping when needed. The loyalty was set a year before signing to Atlantic Records, when Ohgeesy gave him the blessing to drop music through Shoreline whenever he wanted.

Fast forward to 2019, a humble 21-year-old Rob arrives with the same goals: make good music, turn up and have a good time. Fans can catch him on his forthcoming Off The X Tour.

Where do you fit in the realm of hip-hop and R&B?I don’t really like to classify myself as making just that genre of music. If I wanted to, I can make a pop song. I can make a country song. I don’t really like the base myself as a hip-hop or R&B artist, so I don’t know where I fit in that realm honestly.

You’re from West Adams, how does that play into your life and career?Shit, a lot of my stories that formed who I am came from where I’m from, so it played a big big role honestly. That’s not the only place that I grew up at, but that’s a place where I grew up at.

West Adams is by South Central right?I like to say it’s the border of South Central or Mid-City, because that’s what it is to me. Right next to the 10 freeway.

How important is it to come to LA as an up and coming artist?You know what, I don’t even think it’s all that important to come to LA as an up and coming artist. Being from here, it was hard to even come up from here. I dont think it’s a must stop place to be in the music world but at the same time, as far as what studios and what mothafuckas on the scene, it is. But it’s hard to even get there, shit.

At what point did you realize this music thing was forreal?I realized it was for real not until recently honestly. Just watching everything and really paying attention to shit. Really thinking about what mothafuckas would say before this shit came, like “oh it’s gon’ change people, it’s gon’ make you feel this type of way.” This, this, and this. The shit really started making me feel this type of way, people started acting this type of way. It wasn’t until recently I was like “damn, this shit is real as fuck.”

Was there a moment you can pinpoint about when this happened to you?Shit it’s so many. I really can’t, it’s so many. [chuckles]

What was the inspiration behind your name?One of my older homies gave me my name when I was about 14 or 15. Honestly, I didn’t even think of it. Everybody’s always called me Rob or Lil Rob. I started rapping and I didn’t know what to call myself. It was still Rob. They were like “ay, Rob Vicious.” That just sounded fire.

Now that Traptlantic has been out for a few months, how are you feeling?I feel good. Honestly today, I feel great, just about being an artist and everything. The project was cool, “bands” did its thing. That shit straight. Everything cool. I’m just gon’ keep following up with more and more better shit, so that’s just the beginning to me. Just a tease if anything.

Talk about the creative process and how long it took you.It just consisted of me smoking a gang of pot. Going through shit outside the studio and just really letting go. Honestly, that shit is more emotional than it looks because I was going through a lot of shit — I’m still going through a lot of shit. Just me smoking a lot of weed, going to the studio. In all total, it took probably a week in a half. Because I went to Atlanta and recorded about 50 songs in 5 days, no bullshit.

I know artists tend to have their own favorites that aren’t singles. What records mean the most to you?The one that I can say that people know of is “Power Rangers,” because that was the first song that I just experienced people singing. It grasped a lot of people. Even seeing people like that song as much as they did, that meant a lot. It was touching.

What was it like putting your upbringing on the camera for the world to see?Shit, it’s easy. I’m not shy, I just don’t like talking. But if you give me something to talk about, I’ma talk about that shit. That’s all it was. They just told me to talk about what was going through my head type shit, and it was easy.

Best part of shooting the documentary?Probably them times where I really spazzed out and was really talking. The thing about that documentary is wasn’t nobody really talking to me that whole time. Nobody said nothing to me, that’s how much I can talk. I have that much to say. Just like how it started. “What y’all want to talk about? BItch niggas, I can talk about that all day.”

What was the hardest part?Nothing really. Because honestly, I ain’t even want to get too touchy or deep with it. I just wanted niggas to know a glimpse of who Rob Vicious is. I wasn’t even trying to go deep into my life and shit.

Are we going to get more of that as your career progresses?As time go by, definitely. They’ll be more.

Talk about linking with ALLBLACK on “Weigh Ins.”BLACK, that’s my nigga. I fuck with that nigga so fucking tough. I love that nigga, on everything. He hit me on some random shit, like “oh pull up to the studio.” I pull up to Kenny studio right, and he’s playing me “2 Minute Drills.” He’s like “you can hop on whatever you want.” I’m listening to the whole album like “damn this shit hard bro.” Kenny’s like “fuck it, I’m just gonna whip some shit up.” Boom, he whipped the beat up, Black go in. I’m like “oh okay, I see how we doing this.” Then Kenny made me go in.

The way Kenny made me record was so sick, he pissed me off damn near. I’m recording regular, I ain’t used to just punching in and shit. I’m used to just gassing, gassing, gassing. He making me punch in every bar to where they sound stronger. So I’m doing that, but I’m not realizing at first that it’s gon’ come out so clear. He will stop me and be like “say it like you mean it.” I’m like “man, this mothafucka… aight.” But after I finished it, played the whole thing, did the ad libs, and finished the hook, I was like “whoa shit. Damn, I think I’ma start recording like that Kenny.” On everything. That song is how I start fucking with Kenny for real too,

What is it you want fans to get from your story?There’s always a way and it’s not just music. [chuckles] It’s always a way and there’s never the end. It’s mothafuckas out here that really just have no options, and mothafuckas have options. That’s all I want mothafuckas to know, everybody got an option to be anything. You can do whatever you want. You either gon’ waste your life or you gon’ lose your life.

What is your take on the music industry?It’s not for a real nigga. For anybody, just play the game. That’s all it is, the music game.

What did you do with your first advance?[laughs] I fucked up some commas yeah. *Future voice* But I blessed a lot of my family though. A lot of my young homies, my older homies. Shit, I didn’t do nothing for myself. I’ma keep it 100 with you, I didn’t do shit for myself.

What do your parents think of your career?My dad’s still in shock. I can tell. He still ain’t seen me in action for real, but I know he in shock. My moms, she fake as hell. Her ass fake as hell. Shit, I don’t even want to talk about her ass.

What are some goals yourself as an artist at this point of your career?I want to be able to headline festivals and shit solo. Not saying I want to leave my group, it’s always Shoreline Mafia team forever. But I want to be just really turn shit up with my sound.

What is your sound?Fuck. At this point, I can’t really explain it. 2019 is a new year and I’m dropping all new shit that’s going to redefine Rob Vicious himself, to tell you the truth. I’m excited as fuck about this shit. That’s why I’m so happy right now, because I’m excited as fuck about the next year.

What can we expect a project or anything?I’m going to drop a project with Kenny Beats. That shit’s going to be fucking crazy. That nigga right there, he changed my life.

Best memory touring with Shoreline Mafia?It’s always a fucking memory. The whole tour is always a memory. I can remember everything from every tour. We always having fun, it’s not a dull moment at all. From the shows, after the shows, before the shows, the off days, we all having fun.

Are you guys partying all night after the shows on tour?Shit, not really. It just look like that. We be knocked the fuck out. We be tired as hell.

How important is social media for your career?I’ma tell you the truth, I don’t really fuck with social media like that. Everybody that knows me know that I don’t really be on social media. That shit is like hell. It’s an addicting thing that you get nothing from.

I would say you can promote music on there.Well if you are an artist who has an established fan base to promote your music, yes, use social media. But to get yourself out there, hell nah.

What’s a normal day in the life? Walk us through.Every day of my life is different. [chuckles] There’s no day in the life. I do something different every day.

What was today like?Shit, I waited for my money. I smoked some weed. I took the homie to go get some drugs. I got my money, then I went to go re-up. Then I got me some weed to smoke, now I’m at my show. Like I said, I didn’t do this yesterday.

3 things you need in the studio?Water, weed, and this gon’ sound fucked up, but cigarettes.

We gon’ kick that in the new year.We gon’ try. We gon’ attempt.

What would you be doing if you weren’t doing music?I would be fucked up. I would be a lost ass nigga. I would be a fuckin’ nobody, somebody you wouldn’t wanna know. I’ll put it like that, you wouldn’t want to know me.

Favorite song to perform in a set?My favorite song to perform is not even out. It’s with Kenny, once again. I’m telling you, I love that nigga. I’m dropping that 2019, I got you.

What’s the best encounter you had with a fan?When a fan got Traplantic tattooed on their body. I said “whoa shit.” That shit blew my shit.

Do you even have it tattooed on your body?Nah.

Who’s the most played artist on your phone?I don’t have a cycle, ‘cause I be feeling different at times. I don’t listen to the same artist. I really listen to a couple songs from an artist, a couple songs from an artist, etc.

You don’t listen to albums all the way through?Yeah I do, but it’s not preferred. I won’t be like “oh I’m about to bump this album.” I really just be into certain songs. I be in my car all day, so that’s all I be doing.

There’s so many fire albums this year though.I’ma keep it a stack, I don’t even listen to all that. I like artists when they first first come out, because they sound hungry as fuck. That’s what I like, I like fresh ass words. That’s what plays on my phone. I got a lot of artists mothafuckas never heard of. I listen to Earl Swavey, Infant, motherfuckin’ Black Fortune. I listen to shit mothafuckas ain’t heard of, but you hear it and you like “this shit bang, who the fuck is this?”

Some West Coast shit?It ain’t even West Coast shit. It be they other shit that I like the most because me personally, I don’t even really like West Coast Music. Not to sound crazy, but that shit all sound the same to me. They do. That’s why I really be attempting not to even make that type of music, it just don’t appeal to me. I’m not saying it’s weak or nothing, it just doesn’t appeal to me personally.

Dream collab?Not yet, nah. Because I don’t want to set that goal and be like “I want to meet such and such,” then I meet such and such and they not who I think they are. That’s why I just hold that back to myself. That’s already happened to me where I met the person and it was like “damn, I’m hurt.” I just look at everybody the same until I meet them.

What advice do you have for an aspiring Rob Vicious?Ay, that shit is never the end. Keep going and keep fighting. You ain’t never wrong. Bitch, you Rob Vicious! Fuck you talking about.